First Peoria baby of 2014 'nothing but a blessing'

PEORIA — Weighing 7 pounds 9 ounces and measuring 19.5 inches long, Triniti Hollie is an average-size newborn baby. What makes her unique is that she was the first baby born in Peoria in 2014.

She was born at 2;50 a.m. Wednesday at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, but the thought of having the first Peoria baby in 2014 did not occur to her parents until the last minute.

"My water broke early Tuesday morning at 5 o'clock, so we were thinking she'd be a 2013 baby," mother Indirea Slaughter said as she sat up in her hospital bed. "Plus, she's nine days early, so we never expected a New Year's baby. We just were expecting a winter baby."

"A Capricorn," Trenton Hollie, Triniti's father, replied as he looked down at the child with thick black hair he was holding in his arms. Slaughter and Hollie, both in their early 30s, have been a couple for three years. When they found out they were having a baby, they both realized what a gift they were going to be sharing. As Triniti sneezed perhaps the smallest sneeze a human can muster, Hollie said, "Bless you" to her.

"It's nothing but a blessing," Hollie said. "When she came, my blessing came. I got my daughter. It's extra special since this is our first kid."

Triniti almost missed becoming the first local baby born in the new year — another baby was born at St. Francis 13 minutes later — but having the first of the new year was not a goal for the couple.

"I was just thinking of getting her out as soon as possible. I wanted to see my baby," Hollie said. "I wanted to get her out fast because Indirea was in pain."

Slaughter was in the hospital waiting for Triniti for over 20 hours, but when the baby finally came, she knew it was worth the wait.

"There's no better feeling in the world than seeing that baby for the first time," Slaughter said. "You just stare off for a moment and say 'I got a baby.' I look at Trenton and I say 'we have a baby.' Your mind does change, you just suddenly start thinking of the future more than you've ever have before."

Even though the future was on their mind, the couple was fully in the present. Trenton stared down at his daughter with constantly watery eyes, amazed at every twitch and movement Triniti made. Slaughter's smile never left her face. With such a wonderful gift, Slaughter doesn't mind if her new family gets a little bit of attention. "I got a precious gift and I don't mind sharing her with the world."

Zach Berg can be reached at zberg@pjstar.com or 686-3257. Follow him on Twitter @ZacharyBerg.